Sayyed Fouad: The Eternal Imprint of Martyrs
By Latifa Al-Husseini
Martyrdom and qualitative operations formed the core of the military approach that distinguished the jihadi path of Sayyed Fouad Shokor [Hajj Mohsen]. The Master of the Nation’s Martyrs, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, stated that Hajj Mohsen enriched and empowered the resistance with his ideas and proposals—something that clearly materialized on the battlefield and in the various fronts where he was present.
Sayyed Fouad’s imprint was evident in his planning of qualitative operations during the period of the occupation of South Lebanon. A leader capable of motivating, preparing, and instilling the spirit of Imam Hussein [PBUH] in the fighters, he would arm the martyrdom operatives and accompany them up to the execution stage, ensuring that the desired and impactful outcome against the enemy was achieved.
The city of Tyre in 1983 stands witness to one of the operations designed and prepared by Sayyed Fouad, Hezbollah’s first central military commander. A few months after the martyrdom operation of Ahmad Qassir, who struck the headquarters of the “Israeli” military governor, a similar scenario unfolded in this southern city.
A powerful explosion rocked the new headquarters of the military governor in Tyre as well, located on the main road between the city and Naqoura. The martyrdom fighter bypassed the guards, crossed the checkpoint and dirt barriers, pulled the trigger, and detonated.
The Tree School operation was planned by Sayyed Fouad Shokor in coordination with the martyred commander Hajj Imad Mughniyeh. It became one of a series of operations that marked the end of the occupation in South Lebanon after 17 years.
To Sayyed Nasrallah, Hajj Mohsen was a mountain to lean on in times of hardship and tribulation. His clarity in articulating doctrinal matters and military affairs was remarkable, and this excellence extended to his role in developing the military formations and their land, air and naval capabilities.
In an extensive lecture delivered to a group of resistance fighters and comrades-in-arms—parts of which were obtained by Al-Ahed News—Sayyed Fouad spoke about the essential qualities that must be present in a commander who dispatches martyrdom fighters. He said, “A commander who sends martyrdom fighters without possessing the spirit of martyrdom himself is a traitor and a hypocrite.”
He added, “They portray us as death seekers, while in truth, we live through martyrdom.”
In the same lecture, Sayyed Fouad emphasized the importance of supplication, in a way inseparable from the resistance effort. He said, “Our weapon that we never abandon is supplication—always asking God to protect us, guide us, and watch over us.”
The one who famously described the elite self-sacrificing fighters (fidayeen) of the heroic Khaldeh battle as “We are Khomeinists” reflected on the ideology laid down by Imam Khomeini—the staunch opponent of arrogance—and his successor, the Guardian of Muslims, His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei. He stated, “Imam Khomeini taught everyone that the resistance is one of the fruits of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib [PBUH], which was planted. Today, no one understands the value of this resistance more than Imam Khamenei.”
To the youth listening, Sayyed Fouad offered further motivation to hold steadfast to the path of jihad and martyrdom operations. He reminded them, “History is written by the determination, effort, will, and patience of men, until the souls suspended between the earth and the heavens are liberated through martyrdom—the shortest path to God Almighty.”
The ultimate goal is for the resistance to remain the cry of Imam Hussein [PBUH] and to nurture fighters just as Karbala bore martyrs and Resistance fighters. This was Sayyed Fouad’s message to those in attendance. It was delivered months before his ascension, as he followed the path of the Master of Martyrs [PBUH].
